A Shock of Corn Coming in its Season, Title page 1 – Dedication
A Shock of Corn Coming in In its Seaſon.
A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of that Ancient and Eminent Servant of CHRIST WILLIAM GOUGE, Doctor of Divinity, and late Paſtor of BLACK-FRYARS, London, December the 16th, 1653.
With the ample and deſerved Teſtimony that then was given of his Life,
By WILLIAM JENKYN (now) Paſtor of BLACK-FRYARS, London.
LONDON, Printed for Samuel Gellibrand, at the Ball in Pauls Church-yard. 1654.
EFFIGIES GUIL:GOUGE S.S. THEOLOGIAE PROFESS: QUI OBIIT ANo. 46. Dui 1653. AEtatis 79. Ministery in Black fr: Lon:
The Simile vs'd by the Temanite
Of a ripe ſhock of Corne exprest him right.
How weighty were his eares with worth? and he
Who bent with Age, bowd with Humility.
He (ripe) is reapt this harvest time we mourn,
Heere harvest-joy, onelyonly befell the Corne.
From th' World (the feild) to ye grave ye barne hees gon
Yet tho he lost the feild, he th' Victory won.
Our Corns now bread. for men those workes of his
Are bread for God, himſelf now ſhewbread is.
A Shock of Corn Coming in In its Seaſon.
A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of that Ancient and Eminent Servant of CHRIST WILLIAM GOUGE, Doctor of Divinity, and late Paſtor of BLACK-FRYARS, London, December the 16th, 1653.
With the ample and deſerved Teſtimony that then was given of his Life,
By WILLIAM JENKYN (now) Paſtor of BLACK-FRYARS, London.
LONDON, Printed for Samuel Gellibrand, at the Ball in Pauls Church-yard. 1654.
To my much eſteemed and beloved Friends, the Church of God in the Precinct of BLACK-FRYARS, LONDON.
YOu have (already) a double right to this Dedication; it is yours firſt as this enſuing Sermon was preacht, next as it is publiſht.
1. This Sermon was preacht, as among you and to you, ſo concerning him who of late was your worthy Paſtor, and by him who is (though unworthy, yet,) your Pastor.
2. This Sermon is publiſht, though againſt my own inclination (for I know nothing by any my ſervices, but what more deſerves my bluſhing for their weakneſſe, then publication for their worth) yet at the earneſt entreaty, as of many others, ſo of ſundry of your ſelves.
But there is a third and (that) a better right which I deſire you may have to this enſuing Diſcourſe, and that is a right to it by practiſing of the truths contained in the Sermon, and by imbracing the Doctrines, and imitating the graces of your late eminent Paſtor commended in the following Teſtimony.
My Sermon ſlights not your patronage, but it earneſtly ſues to you for your practiſe. And tis my deſire, that the unreformed who ſhall reade the Relation of Doctor Gouge's faithful pains among them, may with godly ſorrow for their unprofitableneſſe under his miniſtry, ſay what Pharaohs Butler did in the apprehenſion of his ingratitude to Joſeph, Gen. 41.9.I do remember my faults this day. If the duſt of a living Miniſters feet, and the ſweat of his brows, ſhall be a teſtimony againſt a gain-ſaying people, how loudly will the duſt of a dead Miniſters grave cry againſt them! Tis but a ſorry piece of devotion, with the Jews to paint the Sepulchres of the Prophets, and to commend them when dead, with our lips, whom living, we diſcommended by our practiſe; and yet as Sampſon could take honey out of that dead Lion, with which he fought, and which he ſlew, when alive, it roar'd upon him, ſo nothing is more ordinary then for the wicked to voice up dead Miniſters for ſweet and bleſſed men, whom in their life-time for lifting up their voice againſt their ſinnes, and labouring to rend them and their luſts aſunder, they bitterly oppoſed. Though when Moſes was dead, the people would have worſhipt him as a God (and this the devil knew and lik't when he contended to have had his Sepulchre made known) yet when he was living, they would have deſtroyed him,Jude 9 & he fear'd ſtoning by them. Even wicked Joram calls dying Eliſha, Exod. 1the Chariots of Iſrael and the horſmen thereof. 2 Kin. 13.14. The Papiſts, and common Proteſtants, who now ſpeak highly of Chriſt and call him their ſweet Saviour, had they lived in his dayes, and heard him Preach againſt their ſins, would have hated him more then now they hate the godly, for having but a drop of his Fountain, and but a faint reflection of that holineſs which much more gloriouſly ſhin'd forth in him. As it may be a work of much credit, ſo it is a work of little coſt to extoll the deceaſed ſervants of Chriſt. By their voices, ſinners are not moleſted in the proſecution of their luſts, nor urged to any unpleaſing duties. It is not then the crying up of departed Saints and Ministers with our words, but imitating of them with our works and the praiſing them with the Language of the converſation, Horo andi propt…r imitatio…em, non ad …an-di proper religionem. Aug de ver…r l. c. 55.which ſhews the ſincerity of our love either to God or them; The bark of a tree may be carried away, upon a mans ſhoulder without any pains or difficulty; but it requires strength and labour to carry away the body of the tree; men may eaſily run away with the outward ſhell of good words and profeſsions, but the heart and life of Religion, which is that of the heart and life, men can hardly away with. The dint of this dilemma, will not be ſhunned. If the Ministers doctrine and life were bad, why are they ſo much as commended; if good, why not more then commended, why not practiſed and imitated alſo? If Chriſt were not a good maſter, why did the young man call him ſo? if he were a good maſter why did he not follow him alſo?
You will not be offended with me for my plain dealing; If I be Jealous leſt this holy man hath bestowed his labour in vain upon many ſurvivors; they will (I truſt) remember whoſe jealouſie it imitates, Pauls; 2 Cor. 11.…and of what nature, he ſaith, his was, a godly jealouſie. If I fear the flattering of ſome more then of others, it is of thoſe whom I love moſt: you have by calling me to be your Miniſter, laid a ſtrong engagement upon me, to beware of ſoothing you into deſtruction, and to put you in remembrance of promoting more vigorouſly the power of godlineſſe, and of ſetting up Chriſt more throughly in your hearts, houſes, and congregation, in the expectation of, and ſupplication for which, I reſt, dear and much eſteemed Friends,
Black Fryars, May the 8th. 1654. Your faithfull and affectionate ſervant for the good of your ſouls. William Jenkyn.